THE CAUSE OF BEETHOVEN'S DEATH 309 which ascites, or hydrops abdominalis, was a consequence. Beethoven had suffered from disorders of the liver years before. In 1821, as has been noted, he suffered an attack of jaundice. In his medical history of the case, Dr. Wawruch stated that the cause of the disease was to be found in an "antiquated" ailment of liver as well as defects in the abdominal organs. When he observed the first aggravation of the disease he recorded that "the liver plainly showed traces of hard knots, the jaundice increased." In his report of the autopsy, Dr. Wagner said: "The liver seemed to have shrunk to one half its normal size, to have a leathery hardness, a greenish-blue color, and its lumpy surface, as well as its substance, was interwoven with knots the size of a bean. All the blood-vessels were narrow, with thickened walls and empty." The treatment prescribed by Dr. Wawruch and adopted empirically at the suggestion of friends was designed, not to go to the seat of the difficulty but to relieve the dropsical condition of the abdominal cavity;-medicaments, decoctions, the unfortunate sweat-bath, all were intended to produce liquid evacuations from the bowels, increase the secretion of urine and induce perspiration; the final resort was to paracentesis.1 When Breuning and Schindler left the dying man in the care of Hüttenbrenner and Frau van Beethoven, they went to the cemetery of the little village of Währing, and selected a place for Beethoven's grave in the vicinity of the burial plot of the Vering family, to which Breuning's first wife had belonged. Their return was retarded by the storm. When they reëntered the sick-room they were greeted with the words: "It is finished!" The immediate activities of the friends were now directed to preparations for the funeral, the preservation of the physical likeness of the great composer and, so far as was necessary, the safeguarding of his possessions. In respect of the latter Gerhard von Breuning tells of a painful incident which happened on the day after Beethovens death. Breuning, Schindler, Johann van Beethoven and Holz were met in the lodgings to gather up the dead man's papers, particularly to look for the seven bank-shares which the will had given to the nephew. In spite of strenuous search they were not found and Johann let fall an insinuation that the search was a sham. This angered von Breuning and he left the house in a state of The revised edition of Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," 1904, says: "The cold had developed into an inflammation of the lungs, and on this dropsy supervened." Dr. Wawruch was unquestionably correct in his diagnosis not only in regard to the inflammation of the lungs but also in regard to the diseased condition of the liver. vexation and excitement. He returned to the lodgings in the afternoon and the search was resumed. Then Holz pulled out a protruding nail in a cabinet, whereupon a drawer fell out and in it were the certificates. In later years Holz explained to Otto Jahn: "Beethoven kept his bank-shares in a secret drawer, the existence of which was known only to Holz. While Beethoven lay dying his brother in vain tried to find out where it was." On a copy of this memorandum,1 Schindler wrote: "First of all after the death, Johann van Beethoven searched for the shares, and not finding them cried out: 'Breuning and Schindler must produce them!' Holz was requested to come by Breuning and asked if he did not know where they were concealed. He knew the secret drawer in an old cabinet in which they were preserved. Even this simple incident has given rise to contradictory stories. Schindler, in his biography, says the place of concealment was a secret drawer in a Kassette; Breuning, "in a secret compartment of a writing-desk." In 1863, Schindler explained to Gerhard von Breuning that the article of furniture was an ordinary clothespress. With the certificates were found the letter to the "Immortal Beloved" and the portrait of the Countess von Brunswick.2 On March 27th, an autopsy was performed by Dr. Johann Wagner in the presence of Dr. Wawruch. Its significant disclosures have already been printed here. In order to facilitate an examination of the organs of hearing the temporal bones were sawed out and carried away. Joseph Danhauser, a young painter 'Preserved amongst Thayer's papers. "The attested inventory of the sale of Beethoven's effects, which, preserved by Fischoff, passed through the hands of Otto Jahn into those of Mr. Thayer, showed that his estate amounted to 9,885 florins, 13 kreutzer, silver, and 600 florins, paper (Vienna standard). The market value of the bank-shares, including an unpaid coupon attached to each, was 1,063 florins on the day of Beethoven's death. In the item of cash is included the £100 received from the London Philharmonic Society, which, as has been stated, was found intact. The official summary was set forth as follows: According to a statement by Aloys Fuchs to Jahn the sum realized from the sale of the musical compositions, autographic and otherwise, sketch-books, etc., was 1068 florins. In view of the difference in purchasing power of money in 1827 and 1913 it may be said that Beethoven's estate amounted to the equivalent of £3,000, or about $15,000. IMPOSING FUNERAL CEREMONIES 311 who chanced to be in Vienna, received permission from Breuning to make a plaster cast of the dead man's face. This he did on March 28th, but the cast has little value as a portrait, inasmuch as it was made after the autopsy, which had greatly disfigured the features. On the same day (not "immediately after death," as has incorrectly been stated) Danhauser made a drawing of the head of Beethoven, which he reproduced by lithographic process. This picture bears the inscription: "Beethoven, March 28, drawn at his death-bed, 1827," and to the left, "Danhauser." This drawing, too, was made after the autopsy. For a bust which he modeled, the artist made use of the cast taken by Klein in 1812. Danhauser never came in contact with Beethoven alive. The funeral took place at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of March 29th. It was one of the most imposing functions of its kind ever witnessed in Vienna.1 Breuning and Schindler had made the arrangements. Cards of invitation were given out at Haslinger's music-shop. Hours before the appointed time a multitude assembled in front of the Schwarzspanierhaus, and the mass grew moment by moment. Into the square in front of the house, it is said, 20,000 persons were crowded. All the notable representatives of art were present. The schools were closed. For the preservation of order, Breuning had asked the help of the military. In its report "Der Sammler" said: The crowd was so great that after the roomy court of Beethoven's residence could no longer hold it the gates had to be closed until the procession moved. The coffin containing the corpse of the great composer had been placed on view in the court. After the clergy were come to perform their sacred office, the guests, who had been invited to attend these solemn functions-musicians, singers, poets, actors-all clad in complete mourning, with draped torches and white roses fastened to bands of crape on their sleeves, encircled the bier and the choristers sang the Miserere2 composed by the deceased. Solemnly, sublimely the pious tones of the glorious composition floated upwards through the silent air. The scene was imposing. The coffin, with its richly embroidered pall, the clergy, the distinguished men who were giving the last escort to their colleague, and the multitude round about-all this made a stupendous picture. On the conclusion of the canticle, the coffin was raised from the bier and the door of the court was opened. The singers 'See "Aus dem Schwarzspanierhause," p.113; Hiller's "Aus dem Tonleben, etc." p. 177 et seq.; "Der Sammler," April 14, 1827; Seyfried's "Beethoven-Studien," appendix, p. 50 et seq. The Miserere sung in the court of the Schwarzspanierhaus and its complement, Amplius lava me, were arrangements for male chorus made by Seyfried of the Equale for Trombones composed by Beethoven in Linz in 1812 at the request of Glöggl for use on All Souls' Day. They may be found in Seyfried's "Studien." lifted the coffin to their shoulders and carried it to the Trinity Church of the Minorites in the Alserstrasse. It was difficult to order the procession because of the surging multitude. Johann van Beethoven, von Breuning and his son and Schindler, found their places with difficulty. Eight chapelmasters-Eybler, Weigl, Hummel, Seyfried, Kreutzer, Gyrowetz, Würfel and Gänsbacher— carried the edges of the pall. At the sides walked the torchbearers, among them Schubert, Castelli, Bernard, Böhm, Czerny, Grillparzer, Haslinger, Holz, Linke, Mayseder, Piringer, Schuppanzigh, Streicher, Steiner and Wolfmayer. In the procession were also Mosel and the pupils of Drechsler. While passing the Rothes Haus the sounds of the funeral march from Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 26, were heard. The cortège moved through the crowded streets to the parish church in the Alserstrasse, where the service for the dead was concluded with the Libera nos Domine in 16 parts a cappella, composed by Seyfried, sung by the choristers. The account of the "Sammler" continues: "The coffin was now placed in the hearse drawn by four horses, and taken to the cemetery at Währing. There, too, a multitude had assembled to do the last honors to the dead man. . . ." The rules of the cemetery prohibiting all public speaking within its precincts, the actor Anschütz delivered a funeral oration written by Grillparzer over the coffin at the cemetery gate. After the coffin had been lowered into the grave, Haslinger handed three laurel wreaths to Hummel, who placed them upon the coffin. A poem by Castelli had been distributed at the house of mourning, and one by Baron von Schlechta at the cemetery; but there was no more speaking or singing at the burial. Mozart's "Requiem" was sung at the Church of the Augustinians, Lablache taking part, on April 3rd, and Cherubini's at the Karlskirche two days later. The grave in the cemetery at Währing was marked by a simple pyramid bearing the one word BEETHOVEN It fell into neglect, and on October 13th, 1863, the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde of Vienna caused the body to be exhumed and reburied. On June 21st, 1888, the remains of Beethoven and Schubert were removed to the Central Cemetery in Vienna, where they now repose side by side. FINIS. |